How the Miami Dolphins became the Chiefs’ opponent for this year’s Germany game
The Chiefs knew they’d be playing a game in Germany before they knew the opponent. So, how was it determined the Miami Dolphins would be on the other sideline?
After all, Miami was going to be one of the more attractive opponents on the 2023 schedule, a game made all the more appealing with former Chiefs wide receiver Tyreek Hill having a sensational season for the Dolphins.
But overseas instead of prime-time both teams go for a game in Frankfurt that will kick off at 8:30 a.m. Central.
Turns out, teams can’t handpick their opponent but can have a say in teams they prefer not to play.
“The home teams do have a say (in) who they play overseas, and it’s really more of an opportunity to block certain games,” Chiefs chairman and CEO Clark Hunt said. “The league takes it from there.”
Hunt wouldn’t identify the teams the Chiefs blocked from playing overseas, but the possibilities start with division games.
The Chiefs wouldn’t want to give up an AFC West game, so the Los Angeles Chargers, Denver Broncos and Las Vegas Raiders likely got blocked.
Also, the home schedule includes postseason rematches with the Philadelphia Eagles and Cincinnati Bengals plus a date with the Buffalo Bills.
With the Bengals and Bills, teams the Chiefs have met a total of four times in the playoffs in the past three seasons, keeping those games at Arrowhead and increasing their chances at victory could provide an edge in playoff tie-breaker scenarios.
Also, networks have a say in the schedule, and Chiefs-Bengals and Chiefs-Bills are late-afternoon-window games on CBS. Chiefs-Eagles, the Super Bowl rematch, was selected for Monday Night Football.
That left the Detroit Lions, Chicago Bears and Dolphins. When the NFL planned a Chiefs-Lions opener isn’t known, but that may have played a factor.
The Bears were thought to be a favorite to be the Chiefs’ overseas opponent. That matchup was reported by German newspaper Bild and by a Chicago radio station. But it was later reported that the Chiefs wanted to play the Bears at Arrowhead, perhaps because of their large traveling fan base.
That left the Dolphins, and one of the most attractive matchups since the NFL started playing international regular-season games in 2005. Both teams are 6-2, plus the Hill angle.
“I think it’s really exciting for the NFL that we ended up with this great matchup between two of the best teams in the league, two of the teams at the top in the AFC,” Hunt said.
Maybe the Chiefs will be the visiting team on a future game in Germany or England, site of their last overseas trip in 2015. Don’t count on it, Hunt said,
“Teams always block us because they want to keep the Chiefs as a home opponent in the (U.S.),” Hunt said.
This story was originally published October 31, 2023 at 2:00 PM.